Smoky Potato Gratin

By nlhartman

Ingredients

• Kosher salt, to taste
• 2 1/2 lb. Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and sliced 3/16 thick on a mandoline--more potatoes for larger groups
• 2 garlic cloves
• 8 Tbs. (1 stick) unsalted butter
• 1 Tbs. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1 tsp. chopped fresh thyme
• Freshly ground pepper, to taste

Details

Servings 10
Adapted from williams-sonoma.com

Preparation

Step 1

Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Salt the water, add the potato slices and cook until they are slightly softened but not completely tender, about 8 minutes. Drain the potatoes well and let cool.

Prepare a charcoal or gas grill for indirect grilling over medium-high heat.

Using the side of a chef’s knife, smash the garlic cloves and sprinkle with a generous pinch of salt. Continue smashing and scraping the garlic into a paste.

In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Stir in the garlic paste, parsley and thyme, and season with salt and pepper.

Spray a mesh grill pan with nonstick cooking spray. Place 2 potato slices in the center of the grill pan, then create 2 separate rings of potato slices: Starting with the inner ring, arrange the slices, slightly overlapping the center slices as well as the previous slice, to create a fanned effect. Then form an outer ring of potato slices, slightly overlapping the inner ring. Brush the first layer of potatoes with some of the garlic-herb butter and season with salt and pepper. Repeat to create a second layer on top of the first one. Brush the top layer with garlic-herb butter and season with salt and pepper. Be sure to save enough garlic butter to baste during grilling.

Transfer the grill pan to the center of the grill and cover the grill. Cook, basting the potatoes with garlic-herb butter every 10 minutes, until they are tender and browned on top, 35 to 45 minutes. Serves 6 to 8.